Am I wrong? Give credit where it is due.

[TemplesOfSyrinx]

TemplesOfSyrinx : so what have you learned here? i mean: what have you learned about the way you might do things differently "the next time?" because when all is said and done = that's what you've got: an opportunity to do things differently the next time! good luck!

Exactly, a learning experience.

 

[troy mcclure]

My son's former band just released an full length that included their former released EP. My son is on the recordings and not given credited. He asked me what he should do and I explained that it makes no difference to him but it would be disruptive to the band if he pursued it.
A buddy of mine who has sinced passed away was friends with a bandleader with a regional band from Long Island. My buddy came into money and the band leader was just about to drop an album and he had a falling out with his band. My friend put up the money to re-record every part except lead guitar and vocals because the ex-band mates were holding the BL (Pepe) hostage. It was a waste of money and energy on all parts. The album tank and my buddy got nothing but a cool denim jacket with a band logo.

 

[firechariot]

There is this thing called Knocking On Door. Goes good with Waiting For (?) To Come Home.
Then there's a chance at option #3: Talk Face-To-Face. Unanswered calls, texts, v&e-mails shouldn't
spawn hopelessness. If it bugs you, Step-Up.

 

[Sixgunn]

My original project disintegrated last year over several issues. Least of which was creative differences. I now find that one of the former members is posting songs of his that I not only played on, but songs that I recorded, mixed & mastered in my studio, without giving any credit. I'm not saying that I'm the second coming of George Martin, but in comparison to the crap demos he was releasing prior to being in a project with me, I'm a regular Rick Rubin! I have politely asked that if he wishes to release these songs that I slaved over, simply give me credit for the work I did.

He doesn't even return my calls or texts.

Am I wrong?

Ps- I am enjoying my new original project much more!

Go public. Create your own site linking to his and tell your tale.

 

[Kevorargh]

I helped a bandmate write a song (more out of frustration about his derivative songwriting more than anything else) then I quit the band. A few years later, he gets back together with an older band, they record a CD with that song on it, without a credit from me. I was miffed but could really do nothing about it. Except take the part that I wrote, expand it into another song, and write lyrics dissing him. It worked well.

If you are looking to promote your recording engineer and studio skills, I would definitely post those songs as examples or you ability, other wise I would let it go.

 

[McBubbler]

My original project disintegrated last year over several issues. Least of which was creative differences. I now find that one of the former members is posting songs of his that I not only played on, but songs that I recorded, mixed & mastered in my studio, without giving any credit. I'm not saying that I'm the second coming of George Martin, but in comparison to the crap demos he was releasing prior to being in a project with me, I'm a regular Rick Rubin! I have politely asked that if he wishes to release these songs that I slaved over, simply give me credit for the work I did.

He doesn't even return my calls or texts.

Am I wrong?

Ps- I am enjoying my new original project much more!

Do you still have the original sessions on your computer? If so, those are part of your portfolio, so you could post and distribute *samples* to demo your production work as long as you're giving the songwriter(s) and other instrumentalists proper credit. Possession is 9/10ths of the law, so if you have the original multitracks and studio equipment that's proof enough, even if they wanted to be a bunch of vindictive douchebags about it. Or you could move on, record something else, and post it with the band or artists' permission. Bypass the past.

 

[Joedog]

No, you are not wrong. He displays an uncommon lack of common courtesy, manners, and an abundance of "bad form". Don't let it get you all twisted up....unfortunately there is a LOT of such behavior going around these days.

 

[tradernick]

Hahaha! Who's bitching?

With respect, you were, a little.

The problem in situations like this is that we don't have any info from the other party. If the end of the band was messy, maybe this is his way of showing you how he feels.

All things being equal, sure. It's the path with heart to include your name and acknowledge your contribution. But it's a lesson for next time. If you do work, make it clear that you expect acknowledgment at the least.

Go public. Create your own site linking to his and tell your tale.

And sorry, but don't do anything like this. It's not good for your health.

 

[4SG]

Oh, man. Not again. There is no legal right to attribution without an agreement between the parties. The former member can't factually misrepresent your participation but, unless you agreed in advance to do so, he is not under an obligation to recognize it. He may be under and honorary, karmic, or courtesy-driven obligation, but not a legal one.

I'm probably not the only attorney on TB but I don't appreciate backhanded swipes, macho BS about what should or shouldn't be memorialized in writing, or offhand remarks about "ball washing." Lord knows there are bad attorneys out there but there are also bad band members, cops, teachers, doctors and presidents. If you ever find yourself in a situation where you actually need an attorney you'll be pretty freakin' glad if you find a good one.

 

[TemplesOfSyrinx]

No offense intended to you.

 

[Carl Hillman]

I'm proposing that someone not post music pretending that they did all the work to make it happen.

Is he explicitly claiming to have produced, mixed, mastered, etc. the work in question?

...or, is he simply making no mention that you did those things? That's a big difference. Putting the music up on the internet without production credits does not equal "pretending they they did all the work".

 

[pigpen1]

Hahaha! Who's bitching? I'm asking if I'm wrong. I take it that you think I am. Thanks for the feedback.

You are bitching. What else would you call it? Venting (real men don't vent btw)?

 

[mellowinman]

Here's a thought:

We've taken care of everything; the clothes you wear; the songs you sing. The pictures that give pleasure to your eye.

 

[TemplesOfSyrinx]

One of the greatest things I've learned from this thread is that I need to use the term "Real men" much more often than I do. I had no idea the amount of angst that would occur from this phrase.

 

[bass12]

No, OP, you're not wrong and it's always disheartening to be at the receiving end of actions that result from a lack of integrity and common courtesy.

 

[bearfoot]

Well, unless you want to pay way too much money to get your balls washed, I think the Real Man(tm) option here is to recognize that the singer/songwriter in question is in a rather pathetic situation. Using your work uncredited, and unable to even face a phonecall, or return an email - this is not someone who is going to be successful with their music. He can't even make a decent demo, not even today in the era of multi-track recorders on phones and digital Tascams that we could only dream of back in the day?

I guess I'm saying that you already gave this person more time than they are worth.

 

[Bullitt5135]

All you can do is ask. If they are not going to cooperate, just let it go.

A similar thing happened to me when I quit my old band. I created (an paid for) everything for that band...demos, videos, logos, website, posters, backdrops, Facebook presence, etc. Two of the guys went on a power trip, and I bailed. After disrespecting me both on stage and online, they just expected me to hand over everything free of charge. Had they simply said "please", I probably would have just handed stuff over. When the drummer found out about their social media exploits, he quit the band and insisted I burn down the website and Facebook page completely. To this day, they use a bastardized version of the logo I created, and they loaded the demos I recorded onto ReverbNation (does anybody even use that website?). I could let it bother me, but instead the drummer and I laugh that that's the best those putzes are ever going to sound.

 

[arbiterusa]

Oh my. Whining on TalkBass. That so rarely happens here.

OP, man up and get an attorney and serve the little thief with a C&D or let it go. Those are your choices.

 

[Wood and Wire]

My original project disintegrated last year over several issues. Least of which was creative differences. I now find that one of the former members is posting songs of his that I not only played on, but songs that I recorded, mixed & mastered in my studio, without giving any credit. I'm not saying that I'm the second coming of George Martin, but in comparison to the crap demos he was releasing prior to being in a project with me, I'm a regular Rick Rubin! I have politely asked that if he wishes to release these songs that I slaved over, simply give me credit for the work I did.

He doesn't even return my calls or texts.

Am I wrong?

Ps- I am enjoying my new original project much more!

Unless the previous band members (yourself included) fully paid you for the use of your studio equipment - you own the mechanical copyright in those recordings.

Nobody else can use them without your expressed permission, and / or license fee.

Your performance rights as a musician, your credits as a writer, and the morality of not giving credit to the engineers, and producer, are another three entirely separate issues.

But with regards to these specific recordings - unless the band, as an entity, paid you as contractor, for the use of the equipment - you own the mechanical copyright.



Apologies if this has already been mentioned - I haven't had time to read the whole thread.

 

[Mosfed]

My original project disintegrated last year over several issues. Least of which was creative differences. I now find that one of the former members is posting songs of his that I not only played on, but songs that I recorded, mixed & mastered in my studio, without giving any credit. I'm not saying that I'm the second coming of George Martin, but in comparison to the crap demos he was releasing prior to being in a project with me, I'm a regular Rick Rubin! I have politely asked that if he wishes to release these songs that I slaved over, simply give me credit for the work I did.

He doesn't even return my calls or texts.

Am I wrong?

Ps- I am enjoying my new original project much more!

So.... in pure theory and human decency - of course you are right.

But these days, and I am a recording engineer, getting an engineering credit even very professional material is less and less likely. Much less likely than when I started 25 years ago. That’s more a subject of basically all credits and album or CD materials going out the window than any conspiracy against engineers but there you go.